Niki told me I ordered an exorbitant amount of food, but I didn’t care. I’d eat it all and besides, he compared my appetite to his son’s. Knowing how much Niki adored Erasmus, I couldn’t imagine how being compared to the necromancer was a bad thing.
Niki paid for the food and then drove around the parking lot, finding a spot under a shady tree. We rolled the windows down and dug into our food. I’d finished two of my sandwiches before I felt full enough to address what we’d been ignoring since leaving Aaron Detling’s hospital room.
“So, the Warlock Council has Aaron Detling’s charm.” I let loose a heavy belch and sighed with relief. “Room for more!” I excitedly declared while unwrapping my final sandwich.
Niki’s disgust was clear and had to be directed at the Warlock Council. “I think it is fair to assume as much.”
I nodded vigorously while chewing. Proving I did have some manners, I swallowed before saying, “You think it’s Danzig?” I easily transformed into the female visage I’d used while filling out that heinous paperwork outside his office. “I could alwaysdo a little sneaking around.” I fluttered my long eyelashes Niki’s direction while pushing my breasts up in what I thought was supposed to be an appealing manner.
“You look ridiculous. Change back.”
Niki really didn’t appreciate the effort I went through to try and please him. “This is a very pleasing form,” I protested. I worked hard to make sure each form I took was attractive.
“Not to me.”
I would have thought Niki had odd taste in women if I hadn’t already met Lydia Boone. While not as young as she’d been when she and Niki had created their son, Lydia was still a traditionally attractive human woman.
“I think Warlock Danzig would appreciate this form,” I said before transforming back into my favored body.
“All the more reason for me to detest it,” Niki soundly answered.
Head tilted to the side, I studied Nikodemus Holland. Truly, he was a conundrum. Good thing I loved puzzles. In fact, they were the kitsune equivalent of catnip. Deciding to ignore Niki’s lack of good taste when it came to the female form, I said, “It’s probably best if he doesn’t see me anyway.” I took another bite of food, savoring the taste of vegetables, cheese, meat, and bread. Honestly, I wasn’t picky when it came to food. Just about anything would do as long as it filled the seemingly bottomless pit that was my stomach.
Being the gentleman he was, Niki properly swallowed and wiped his mouth with a napkin before addressing me. “Are you positive Danzig can’t detect your presence?”
“Oh, please.” I waved Niki off. “Honestly, saying such nonsense. Can you detect my presence?”
“Actually, I can.”
My body stilled, the food in my stomach settling like a leaden weight. My wide eyes narrowed as I slowly turned toward him. “You’re lying.”
Niki’s heavy eyebrows slid skyward. “I most certainly am not.” Arrogant irritation filled Niki’s answer.
Mutely sitting there, half of my final sandwich laying on my lap, I contemplated his answer. There was always a chance Nikiwaslying, but I doubted it. There was no reason to do so.
When I remained silent, Niki asked, “Am I to assume that is not typically the case?”
I took a few moments to consider my answer and finally concluded that I wasn’t certain. “I’m not sure. To my knowledge, Tenzen was the only one that I couldn’t hide myself from.” When I’d been caught making mischief, it was because I wanted to be found out. “Let’s just say that I witnessed enough private goings on while staying in the Magical Usage Council’s compound that I find it difficult to believe those I observed knew of my presence.” They’d be mortified if they knew what I’d seen. Of course, most of those I’d bothered peeping on were now dead. That thought placed the final nail in my appetite’s coffin.
Wrapping up the remains of my sandwich, I placed it in the bag along with the other trash.
“If it helps, I doubt I’d realize you were there unless I were actively searching you out.”
“Hmm…” I wasn’t certain if that truly made me feel better or not. It wasn’t that I was bothered by Niki knowing I was around. No, Niki didn’t bother me. It was others knowing I was sneaking about.
I mentally replayed my stay within Danzig’s office. “I can’t believe he would have said those things about Erasmus, and you, if he’d known I was there.” I tilted my head to the side as another thought struck me. “Then again, he’d have no reason tosuspect we were connected, or even who I am.” Now my brain was starting to hurt.
“True,” Niki agreed.
Thinking about Danzig’s actions, I concluded I was quite certain. “He didn’t know I was there.”
Niki let loose a heavy sigh. “For reasons I don’t fully understand myself, I do not wish for you to become…injured in this or any future endeavor.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, Niki appeared truly irritated by the thought.
“Aww, I knew you liked me.” Tossing my bag of trash on the floorboard, I launched toward Niki, settling on his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. My grin was practically feral with pleasure.
“That was not an invitation to do…whatever it is you are currently doing.” Niki’s cheeks radiated with embarrassed heat.
Rubbing my cheek against his scruff, I felt my soul settle. I’d spent hundreds of years living in the Magical Usage Council’s compound. All that time I’d called it home. Now I knew better. That place hadn’t been home. Sitting here, in Niki’s arms…that was home.
